It’s true. Nobody may know who you are.
Nobody may care about what you do week in and week out. You may not have fans all over the world. Your hard work may largely go unnoticed.
You’re probably not the most talented, best in the world leader.
Truth is, that’s not so bad.
Because a few people knowing who Christ is, is far better than a thousand people knowing who you are. I know, that sounds spiritually sensational – over the top. But it’s entirely possible to be so obsessed with being known, recognized, adored – that you lose your heart.
And that’s what I want to discuss today, leaders – the danger of losing your heart.
Of course, I don’t mean physically. A heart transplant would be a whole new level of intensity. Losing your heart is losing your reason, your purpose, your compassion.
The tricky thing is that it doesn’t happen quickly. It’s a slow drift. No one wakes up and says, “I feel like ruining my life today.”
You’ve been drifting so slowly for so long that you haven’t even noticed you’re lost…until you’re stranded at sea.
I can remember these moments vividly.
Looking out at my church and not caring about them. Feeling more frustrated by their lack of worship rather than a brokenhearted compassion for their lives.
Those moments of rushing to “pull off an event” rather than savoring the Holy Spirit’s move in the present moment. Stressing to cross of a “to-do” rather than listening and praying for someone in need.
The rush to the next thing. The discontent with the here and now.
Yes, I would venture to say that your heart is the most important quality of your leadership.
Talent without heart leads to a show.
Leadership without heart is a power trip.
Working without heart leads to the mundane.
What Is Heart?
It’s a great question. Let’s begin with a familiar Scripture you’ve probably quoted hundreds of times: Proverbs 4:23. Let this sink deep with a few different translations:
- “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (NIV).
- “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (NLT).
- “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (ESV).
Everything you do flows from it. It determines the course of your life. From it flow the springs of life.
I’d say that’s pretty important stuff.
You see, the heart is the center of your life, the seedbed of your affections. Since it centers on what you love and care about most, it controls the direction of your life.
The heart knows no logic. Consider falling in love. No price tag is too high, no dinner too fancy. No evening is too late, no responsibility more important.
The heart is powerful. And we are wise to guard it.
You, my friend, are wise to guard it in your leadership.
Skill needs to be in service of heart, not heart in service of skill. That’s the difference between an egomaniac and a servant.
How does this Happen?
Guarding something is an “always on” activity. Consider the movies you’ve seen where the hero is locked in a cell guarded by a sleeping attendant. What happens? Of course, keys are confiscated and a jailbreak is in order.
Don’t allow a jailbreak in your heart. Watch it, protect it, guard the keys.
See your congregation with eyes of compassion. Keep the fires of honest worship alive. Be real with people. Make eye contact. Pray with unrelenting faith and hope. Cry.
Stop blaming your leadership on the fact that you’re talented. Lead with compassion. Lead with passion. Lead with heart.
How do you keep yourself “in the zone” as a leader? How do you lead with your heart? Let us know in the comments!
[ois skin=”Beyond Sunday 2″]
How true this is. Thank you so much helping us all to shape a generation of leaders. This hits home for sure.
That’s awesome, Brittany. Keep up the good work!
I needed this reminder today. Thanks, David.
Glad to help!
So very true! Thanks for posting. I wish every worship leader would read this and understood. I left a praise and worship band I had been playing in for almost 4 years due to leadership change that brought in egotism, arrogance, and a very dictatorial-style of leadership which wasn’t actually leadership at all. It was more an ego trip for the new worship leader: “my way or the highway”, etc. What was once a very vibrant, creative band full of cooperation, collaboration and improvisation went to being a band (or what was left of it after members left) without joy, spirit, collaboration or improvisation…very dull and unexciting due to the young new “leader’s” arrogance and egotism.
This is a very good article that gets to the point quite nicely.
Hey David, so sorry for your past experience. I hope you’ve found a new place to connect and serve God’s people!
Really bleseed!!!!
Thank you David
Thanks Stanley!
“Because a few people knowing who Christ is, is far better than a thousand people knowing who you are. “- This isn’t over the top if it is how to truly feel. I believe that we feel that this statement is over the top, because many people who talk like this don’t actually live like this. Guarding your heart from un-Christlike attitudes is a difficult job. The deceiver is so good at making good actions bad by changing our attitude.
Hi David!
Can you unpack this statement? “Stop blaming your leadership on the fact that you’re talented.” Thanks!
Hey Caleb, it’s kind of play on words. The main idea is that talent isn’t enough. We need to lead with compassion for people and with heart. “Blaming leadership on talent” is just another way of relying too much on talent and not enough on the “heart” and “people” side of ministry. Does that make sense?